Military spokesperson says maritime blockade has forced Saudi tankers to avoid Red Sea route
Archiv: Operation Aspides / EUNAVFOR ASPIDES (EU naval force coalition in the Red Sea)
Saudi Arabia prepares sea and possible land offensive against Houthis
(July 30, 2026)
Riyadh has also asked the US and a group of European countries including Germany, France, the UK and Italy to join a Red Sea coalition.
The EU already has a naval protection mission, Aspides, operating in the Red Sea and it remains unclear if the Houthis are mounting a general blockade or one directed solely at Saudi Arabia.
14 countries back Saudi-led multinational maritime defense alliance proposal
Fourteen countries have backed a Saudi proposal to establish a multinational âMaritime Defense Alliance,â aimed at protecting international shipping routes and global trade, Saudi Arabiaâs Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday.
The countries are Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.
The ministry said military chiefs and other representatives from 43 countries attended a meeting on the initiative, either in person or by video link. A European Union delegation also took part.
Report: Saudi Arabia To Announce New Red Sea Coalition To Counter Yemenâs Ansar Allah
While the new blockade has disrupted shipping in the region, Ansar Allah hasnât announced a blanket ban on shipping through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Some Chinese ships loaded with Saudi crude have also been able to pass through the strait, and Reuters reported that Beijing had cleared each passage with Sanaa.
But as the US-Iran war and conflict across the region are escalating again, the chances of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait being completely closed are rising. The Al-Monitor report, which cited two diplomatic sources and an unnamed US official, said that Riyadh has invited around 50 nations to join the Red Sea coalition, but that US support was seen as vital for the initiative to take off, and it was unclear at this point if Washington would participate.
Bundeswehreinsatz im Roten Meer verlÀngert
Der Bundestag hat am Donnerstag, 16. Oktober 2025, den Bundeswehreinsatz im Roten Meer um ein Jahr verlĂ€ngert. Dazu lag ein Antrag der Bundesregierung fĂŒr die fortgesetzte Beteiligung der Bundeswehr an der EU-gefĂŒhrten Operation Eunavfor Aspides zur Abwehr von Angriffen der Huthi-Milizen auf die Schifffahrt im Roten Meer vor (21/1372(Dokument, öffnet ein neues Fenster)). In namentlicher Abstimmung wurde der Antrag auf Empfehlung des AuswĂ€rtigen Ausschusses mit 435 Ja-Stimmen bei 69 Gegenstimmen und 77 Enthaltungen angenommen.
Westasienkrieg weitet sich auf das Rote Meer aus 23. Juli, 19:00 Uhr (Ticker)
Der Angriffskrieg Israels und der USA gegen den Iran breitete sich in der Nacht endgĂŒltig auf das Rote Meer aus. Noch sind dort nur Schiffe von und zu sowie aus Saudi-Arabien betroffen, als Reaktion des Jemens auf die Blockade und die letzte Bombardierung des Flughafens von Sanaa. Aber Beobachter befĂŒrchten, dass bald auch Schiffe der LĂ€nder betroffen sein werden, welche den Krieg gegen den Iran, Libanon und PalĂ€stina unterstĂŒtzen. Die Chronologie des Tages beginnt mit den Ereignissen der Nacht.
Watch: Houthi spokesperson says group targeted Saudi oil tankers
(10 hours ago)
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said its armed forces targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, claiming the vessels had violated a ban imposed by the group.
Saudi Arabia‘s state media later confirmed that one of its vessels was struck and the bow of the ship caught fire, with a source adding that all crew members onboard Encelia were safe.
Trump Suggests He Could Restart Yemen Bombing Campaign in Response to Red Sea Blockade
President Trump on Tuesday suggested he could restart a bombing campaign in Yemen in response to the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, enforcing a blockade on the Red Sea.
Trumpâs comments came after Ansar Allah announced a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, which came a week after the Saudis bombed Yemenâs Sanaa airport to prevent the landing of a plane carrying a Yemeni delegation from Iran to enforce its long-standing blockade on the country that was eased under a 2022 ceasefire deal but never fully lifted.
Yemenâs Houthis announce maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia
Yemenâs Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo of their foe Saudi Arabia after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
The rebels âdeclare a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of âan eye for an eye,â effective immediately upon the issuance of this statementâ, military spokesman Yahya Saree said
Iran asks Houthis to block Red Sea if US hits energy sites: Reports
Iranian officials have asked Yemenâs Houthis to block the Red Sea if the U.S. carries out strikes on Tehranâs energy sites, according to Reuters.
Two senior Iranian sources and a regional source familiar with the matter reportedly told the outlet that the Houthis had been informed of the request, which was discussed within the Islamic Republicâs leadership.
Trump Signals Support for Saudi Action Against Houthis
(July 15, 2026)
The U.S. State Department is aware of reports that President Donald Trump has given Saudi Arabia the green light to launch military action against Yemenâs Iran-backed Houthi movement following attacks on the kingdom, a department spokesperson told MBN in a statement.